Easy fix for Squeaky / Squealing Belt

[andrewmcg]

I've never posted here before but thought this might be of help for some of you. I have almost 90k miles on my wife's Yaris and since about 50k miles, the belt squeaks every now and then. I decided to tighten it myself and to my surprise there is no tensioner. You are just supposed to pry on it while tightening. After doing so, it was not much better. So I brought it to my local Toyota dealership and had them put a new one on thinking they would be able to do it right since this is the first time I've seen a belt without a tensioner. I picked up the car and the brand new belt squealed worse than it ever did before. So I went home and made my own tensioner. Here are a few pictures of what I did. I just got some angle iron and cut 2 pieces about 1.5" long each and drilled two holes in each. Put a couple bolts in and made my own tensioner. No more squealing. Angle iron can be picked up at Home Depot or Lowe's for a couple bucks. You just tighten down the two bolts on the alternator slider and have the two pieces about 1" apart. Then put a bolt through the two L brackets and start tightening. You can put washers in between them if you want to space them out further and not tension the belt as much. Don't over tighten, but this is a sure fire way to not have it squeak anymore.

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/9134/yarisa.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/683/yarisa.jpg/)

http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/9165/yaris2.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/851/yaris2.jpg/)

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/4686/yaris3e.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/811/yaris3e.jpg/)

[Lil Abner]

Interesting idea! Just remember though, those pieces of angle iron will rust FAST!! You might want to remove them and hit them with some paint.

[MickZEL]

In my oblong hole on the metal plate is tensioning the belt.

["G"]

Tensioner is not needed. The adjusting slider is all that's needed. Instructions below.

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/8854/charging17.jpg

[andrewmcg]

Lil Abner, they are already painted black.

"G", you apparently didn't read my post. I'm well aware what Toyota thinks is necessary and how to do it. My point is that neither I, nor the Toyota technicians can successfully perform that apparently as a brand new belt still squeals after doing it properly. Therefore, a tensioner makes it dead simple and squeal proof.

[bronsin]

Awesome!

Squeeking belts are a plague on the ECHO and the Yaris as they get older. And as you found out, taking them to a shop doesnt fix the problem.

One thing:

I dont understand how it works!

CAn you explain some more? How do you use the adjuster?

Thanks!

[andrewmcg]

Ok, using the picture below, you start by tightening down bolt #1 all the way so it wont budge. Bolt #2 is in stock location and needs to be loose. Bolt #2 is the one that moves with the alternator and moves as belt tightens or loosens. Now L brackets should be about 1" apart and you put bolt #3 in and start tightening. As you tighten #3, it pulls the alternator out towards the front of the car, also tightening the belt. Once you like how tight the belt is, tighten up bolt #2 and it will all stay there. Viola!

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/4282/yaris3.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/835/yaris3.jpg/)

["G"]

Then you and the technician are failing to do it correctly or you have another problem. Their are hundreds of thousands of yari around the world that do not squeak.

Awesome!

Squeeking belts are a plague on the ECHO and the Yaris as they get older. And as you found out, taking them to a shop doesnt fix the problem.

One thing:

I dont understand how it works!

CAn you explain some more? How do you use the adjuster?

Thanks!

[ilikerice]

I dont wanna start a problem. but most brand new belts, esp aftermarket will stretch given time. You can easily just tighten the belt without using those brackes and using a crowbar or lever of some sort to pull the alt. towards you while you tighten up your #2 bolt.

Your idea is very interesting though. My only problem is over tightening it and ruining your alt bearing for the newbies. And if that 3# bolt isnt of all the way because you can still overtighten it, the vibrations of the motor will shake it off and possible land inbetween a belt and pulley and shred it.

Just my 2 cents

[bronsin]

Then you and the technician are failing to do it correctly or you have another problem. Their are hundreds of thousands of yari around the world that do not squeak.

Well look at it this way. With a screw adjustment you turn the screw a little bit each time until the squeel goes away. So you get precisely the tension you need to make the noise go away and no more.

With the pry method who knows how much over tension you have created?

Also I recommend putting the L brackets out in the rain till they rust real good. Then paint them with Rust Converter instead of painting them. Rust Converter converts the rust into something that will NEVER rust.

[bronsin]

Ok, using the picture below, you start by tightening down bolt #1 all the way so it wont budge. Bolt #2 is in stock location and needs to be loose. Bolt #2 is the one that moves with the alternator and moves as belt tightens or loosens. Now L brackets should be about 1" apart and you put bolt #3 in and start tightening. As you tighten #3, it pulls the alternator out towards the front of the car, also tightening the belt. Once you like how tight the belt is, tighten up bolt #2 and it will all stay there. Viola!

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/4282/yaris3.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/835/yaris3.jpg/)

Ah thankyou. The brackets being together is what threw me off. I always need everything explained to me. :iono:

Speaking of that, what size is that angle iron? 3/4 inch?

Oh and I have an improvement! (subject to approval)

Welding the nut that the adjustment screw goes into to the angle iron will make adjustment easier.

And am I right you also need to drill holes in each piece of angle irion for the bolts going to the adjusting bracket?

Beautiful, simple, effective, cheap design!

[andrewmcg]

"G", quit being a douche. You act like this is some ghetto mod that I just invented. Ive owned over 30 cars and this is the first time Ive owned a car without a belt tensioner. Its a stupid idea from Toyota to not have one. There have been many ideas and inventions by manufacturers that only last a few years cuz they were stupid and Im willing to bet this is one of them.

Bronsin, I believe it is 1" angle iron, but I bet you could make 3/4" work. And, yes you could weld that nut to make the adjustment a one wrench affair. Yes, you drill 2 holes in each piece of angle iron. As for rust, I don't know if you drive with your hood off your car or what but my engine bay will never see enough water to rust those :)

[Lil Abner]

As for rust, I don't know if you drive with your hood off your car or what but my engine bay will never see enough water to rust those :)

HA, spend one winter in Michigan, and you'll have rust in places you never thought of :biggrin:

[bronsin]

[QUOTE=andrewmcg;600027] Ive owned over 30 cars and this is the first time Ive owned a car without a belt tensioner. Its a stupid idea from Toyota to not have one. There have been many ideas and inventions by manufacturers that only last a few years cuz they were stupid and Im willing to bet this is one of them.

QUOTE]

I believe the squeal problem is due to the new flat belts which need beaucoup tension not to squeal.

Almost NO car I ever owned had tensioneers. Nor were they needed with the old fashioned V belt. You could get a very satisfactory tension using the pry method.

The belt on the ECHO/Yaris is another story...

[Lil Abner]

My sister's Sienna minivan has a similar process for tightening the power steering pump (V6, down in the back of the engine). I "thought" I used enough leverage to tighten a brand new belt. After a week of driving and stretching the belt, I was back under the van, with HELP, to re-tighten it.

My Celica with a 2ZZ had a REAL tensioner on it. The only downside with that one was you needed the power of ZEUS to release it. But it never squealed. So yeah, now I'm not looking forward to replacing my belt!

[bronsin]

If you have a serpentine belt and that kind of tensioner that comes with it (spring loaded) the tensioneer can fail (like at 80k miles)

If you dont have it, it cant break!

[Lil Abner]

If you have a serpentine belt and that kind of tensioner that comes with it (spring loaded) the tensioneer can fail (like at 80k miles)

Actually, it failed earlier than that. But Toyota replaced it under warranty. 100K miles after that, the replacement didn't fail.

[andrewmcg]

Here is a picture with the washers in between to show it with less tension if you want. I still like the guys who think that prying with a pry bar or using a wrench with a tensioner has any different outcome. The only difference is:

1. With this setup, I have exactly the tension I want. Not too much, not too little.
2. With this setup, I don't have to leverage a pry bar against my aluminum block and be scared of putting a hole in the timing cover or block. Cast aluminum is easy to put a hole in.

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/7461/yaris4.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/8/yaris4.jpg/)

[Betrivent]

Neat idea. Props

[Klink10]

^^^^^ What he said.

[ilikerice]

you needed the power of ZEUS to release it
i dont know why, but i laughed at that quote..

ok andrew, washers in the middle, after you tighten the bolt for the tension on the alt. take the bolt off the bracket and slide the correct amount of washers in the middle then bolt it back. Makes sense. I didnt see the washers in the first pic.

Might I add.. Could you just remove that bolt comletly after you tighten the alt. bolt? I mean its not holding anything any more securely. Throw that bolt back in your tool box and call it a "special service tool" lol.

[bronsin]

Here is a picture with the washers in between to show it with less tension if you want. I still like the guys who think that prying with a pry bar or using a wrench with a tensioner has any different outcome. The only difference is:

1. With this setup, I have exactly the tension I want. Not too much, not too little.
2. With this setup, I don't have to leverage a pry bar against my aluminum block and be scared of putting a hole in the timing cover or block. Cast aluminum is easy to put a hole in.

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/7461/yaris4.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/8/yaris4.jpg/)

Hmm thats a little confusing because the thing works by having a space between the two angle iron pieces.

Oh well i'll figger it out...

Yeah theres almost no place to pry without smashing something up. You gotts be REAL carefull!

[andrewmcg]

Bronsin, there really isn't space between the two angle iron pieces since the washers are there. The washers take up the space. And technically, once you tighten down the bolt that bolts to the alternator, the others are unnecessary as ilikerice said.

Ilikerice, yes you could just remove the other bolts if you wanted to. I like it there just so there are more things holding it in place for a smaller chance of the tensioner moving. Also, the first pictures didn't have the washers. I just posted that to see what I meant by spacing it with washers if you wanted to.

[ilikerice]

:w00t:

[fastlane6]

so i replaced belt... squeaky... but, now i got a rumbling noise after a few hundred miles... ? ? ? hmmm...

[andrewmcg]

Does a mod want to run his IP? I sense a troll.

[yaris2010RS]

I dont wanna start a problem. but most brand new belts, esp aftermarket will stretch given time. You can easily just tighten the belt without using those brackes and using a crowbar or lever of some sort to pull the alt. towards you while you tighten up your #2 bolt.
Just my 2 cents

LOL, u my friend have never heard of the OCV valve have u lol

Good Job to the OP, very nice design

Simple, Easy, and Effective

there was another thread around here with a DIY on how to install a toyota tensioner

[A-Dingo-Ate-My-Baby]

ur idea is cool, but you really need to lock those nuts down

use nylock nuts
safety wire
or
slotted nuts

[Gogogordy]

Just 'cause it came from the factory a certain way, doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. Besides....it isn't like it can't (easily) be undone and returned to stock.

"Genius" I say :w00t:

[Klink10]

As I stated prior.... I do like the idea vs what we are stuck with. Question though....With the one piece on tight and the other on loose for tightening, doesn't the one thats loose angle forward during the tightening process? How would you get it to go back to perpendicular after the adjustment process without loosening it again?

[aschmidt]

Guys, any idea how to loosen lower bolt? I have 70k on my Yaris, made several attempts, but no luck...

[bronsin]

I would take it to a shop, explain the problem, and ask them to loosen it. Ask them not to tighten it so much. I think they will understand the problem. Might cost some $$ but what can one do?

[Randy_84]

I also have a squealing in my 2010 yaris rs liftback. When i turn the air condition on it squeals for about 25 seconds then stops. If i driving with the a/c on and i have to stop, as I shift the gears down, the squeal returns. Even at times when drive to a spot and then put the car in reverse it squeals. The belt has been changed before, but it still kept the noise. I just want to know if the belt is tensioned, would that solve the problem.....any feedback?

[06YarisRS]

Where are the pics? This is very interesting. I'd love to see this adaptation. I particularly like the idea of being able to add just enough tension. I always wonder if I'm overtightening and causing unnecessary bearing wear when not having a spring type 'automatic' belt tensioner.

[mr_robot]

I would like to see pics too. Not sure what the OP used to host the pics but when photobucket stopped offering 3rd party hosting lots of DIY threads became useless.

[06YarisRS]

I would like to see pics too. Not sure what the OP used to host the pics but when photobucket stopped offering 3rd party hosting lots of DIY threads became useless.

I hate Photobucket. Harsh words I know, but what a move on their part! A few DIY threads I did on another automotive forum became, as you say, useless.

[dogsridewith]

I also have a squealing in my 2010 yaris rs liftback. When i turn the air condition on it squeals for about 25 seconds then stops. If i driving with the a/c on and i have to stop, as I shift the gears down, the squeal returns. Even at times when drive to a spot and then put the car in reverse it squeals. The belt has been changed before, but it still kept the noise. I just want to know if the belt is tensioned, would that solve the problem.....any feedback?Should have been re-tensioned the first time it squealed for 25 seconds. Or 3 seconds. And if that doesn't solve, then look for driven items seizing up...like A/C compressor. Does it chirp or squeal at startup w/ the A/C off?

[mr_robot]

I fixed mine over the weekend. Just loosened both the top and bottom bolts, used a prybar wiith one hand and re-tightened with the other pulling it as hard I could and done.

No more squeaky belt.

[dogsridewith]

Overtightening a serpentine belt destroys driven components and idler bearings.

[Randy_84]

Should have been re-tensioned the first time it squealed for 25 seconds. Or 3 seconds. And if that doesn't solve, then look for driven items seizing up...like A/C compressor. Does it chirp or squeal at startup w/ the A/C off?

The A/C compressor was change like a year ago. It chirps or squeals occasionally when at startup and when the A/C is turned on it chirps as well. There are times when i startup, leave the car running for 60 seconds and then turn the A/C on and I get no squeal. It is suppose to get look at within the coming weeks, so hopefully i would get the problem fixed.

[mr_robot]

Mine has been quite since.

[white89gt]

As soon as I went to the Scion 100 amp alternator, mine has quit squealing. The Scion alternator uses a de-coupler pulley, so I think that has something to do with it.

[06YarisRS]

Check out this 'interesting' video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRrVMtyIqIY

When I first got my car, it squealed badly, partially because the previous owner put belt dressing on it. I can confirm that delaying ignition does work, at least for belts that squeak when the engine is first started. It did on mine anyway.

[drunix]

The smooth side of the belt on mine was shiny probably from slipping. Increasing tension would not fix it. I took the belt out, lightly sanded it (probably 320 grit emory cloth) on the non-ribbed side to take the shine off, and also sanded the smooth pulley to clean it up. It's now completely totally silent for the first time in years.

[esse10]

mine hasn't squeek for yrs now. Just use a good quality belt and tighten it correctly, not too lose cause it'll squeal or not too tight cause it degrades it and wears out pre-mature.